Changing the mythology

[lizardbeth]

When I'm writing an AU (by which I mean a "What if X happened differently?" AU, not a "Everybody's in High School!" Elseworlds type thing), I tend, because I have canon-neuroses, to try to keep everything the same up to that point, including character backstories and 'verse mythology. That way, the plot and characters may unfold differently, but the underpinnings remain the same

However, I'm not going to be able to do that for my BSG Not all that we are-verse story. Okay, I COULD, but I'm not going to, because I like the mythology I created. It is, however, giving me TWINGES OF GUILT, like "no one's going to read this because it's going so far afield of canon. WOE!"

So, in order to make me feel better about continuing a story that will completely and utterly reject everything we have now learned about the Opera House, Hera, Earth, the Head People, etc, how about a poll?

[Poll #1375303]

I know, I know it's silly. I think it's my inner Tolkien canon-whore. It's kind of a disease. I'll still write, I'll just cringe a little, until I get used to ignoring canon so blithely (in a place I would usually USE it).

Comments

[silverblade219.livejournal.com]

Based on what I've heard of the finale (I still haven't watched it yet, but I read reviews/recaps), I think that most people wouldn't mind if you completely changed what happens.

Personally, I'm curious of what your version of the mythology is. Maybe the fact that Sam is a oracle changed large parts of the cycle, etc.

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

Hee, yes, I really do know that most people don't care, especially as long as I give a bit of warning so they won't expect the same thing. It's just ... argh, it's hard to explain without telling the changes which I can't do. Anyway, I think the new history is cool; I'm just hoping other people do too, enough to make the differences worthwhile, I guess.

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

If it's better than canon (not an especially high bar, given the finale), hey, GO FOR IT!!!!!! I will sure as hell be reading it, and it sounds like a great way to wash the taste of the real canon out of my mouth.

Bitter? Moi? Surely you jest.

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

well, better is SUCH a relative term... eek. But interesting as an alternative, at least. I hope. (I mean, fuck, maybe mine's even stupider, I can't know until someone reads it...)

[sabaceanbabe.livejournal.com]

Dude. You and I can be canon flouters together, m'kay? 'Cause I was just thinking last night about what I need to keep and what I can throw away to make Persistence of Memory the sequel to Liberation. Heh. In fact, I was thinking about consulting you on that score. :P

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

hee. well, given you'll be the first person to tell me whether I have the dumbest new canon EVAR or not, I think I can return the favor... :)

CANON FLOUTERS REPRESENT! *locks arms*

[ivanolix.livejournal.com]

I think it's my inner Tolkien canon-whore

Never heard it called that before. ;-) But anyway, it's not something I'd do for any other canon, but it's fine to mess with the underlying mythology of BSG. Most fic out there was completely jossed but still worth reading, and given that it's kind of a strange situation (where mythology is actually meant literally), it feels right to play with AUs where things were just different. So even though I'm normally neurotic about canon, I've considered writing fundamentally-changed AUs for BSG...and I'll definitely read more of yours.

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

oh, (some) LotR fans are NOTORIOUSLY hard on canon-flouters. I'm also VERY persnickety about my LotR canon when I read, and the one major AU I wrote there was extremely canon based. I did research - I found EVIDENCE to back up my assertion that Sauron was embodied in case anyone challenged me. It's a ... different sort of fandom from t.v. based fic.

So anyway, for the next AU-fic, Ariadne, I'll disclaim at the beginning to expect different answers and hope it's cool enough I take everyone with me.

[ivanolix.livejournal.com]

Oh, Tolkien was my sole fandom playground for a couple years...I know all about the goings on there. ;-) It is very different from other fandoms; I just never heard it referred to in that way before.

[rose-griffes.livejournal.com]

Ditto what merrykk said.

If recent show stuff works with what you already have, great. But you've already created a separate arc, so just keep going!

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

thanks. very encouraging. :D

It's going, and going, and going...

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

I tend to stick to canon except in things I began before being jossed, in which case I just keep on.

I gave answer #2.

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's pretty much what I do - and will do here -- it's just this one is a weird mix of deliberate AU, accidental (jossed) AU, WIP, and canon closing that's got me a bit kerflubbled. :)

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

So, what have you been doing to cope with the hiatus/end, other than writing? I've been digging up old youtube videos and fanfics that I liked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6phAbRpJh_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_QXVkNvvw4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WV1Cl7-QX0

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2741867/1/Child_of_Destiny (this one has been jossed like no one's business, but it's still a good story with a good ending)

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

No seriously, are you going around the remains of online BSG fandom or is that just me?

well written Au's rock!

[lexi599.livejournal.com]

I for one, vote for the AU.

I have read fanfiction since I was a kid and these days the only things that still really interest me are crossovers and other well-written AUs, because in my opinion they show more creativity and better understanding of the canon. Only if you understand the characters can you truely digress from canon and still make it viable in terms of them being different choices for the same people in different situations.

so rock on, and that also means your BSG/B5 story (hint)

Re: well written Au's rock!

[lizardbeth-j.livejournal.com]

*coughs, looks shifty* oh, right, crossover. ahem. yes. :D